Dushanbe Mayor Defends Decision To Monitor Civil Servants Via CCTV

The Dushanbe mayor's office is defending a decision to install CCTV cameras in the offices of all civil servants in the Tajik capital.

Talking to RFE/RL on May 22, Shavkat Saidov, a spokeman for Mayor Mahmadsaid Ubaidullaev, said the aim of the move is to tackle corruption among city officials and to make their activities transparent.

The decree was signed by Ubaidullaev on May 19.

The move immediately sparked criticism from city officials, who complained that the cameras are a violation of privacy and also symbolize mistrust in their work by the government and society.

Saidov denied that the cameras are a violation of privacy or any other rights.

According to the decree, all city offices will be equipped with CCTV cameras by July 1.

Local activists will have the right to either visit the offices or to request tapes of CCTV footage.